Throw-off and impression-adjusting device for printing-presses.



E. P. JENNINGS, In. THROW-OFF AND IMPRESSION ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26, 1914.

1.,199 897. v Patented Oct. 3,1916.

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EMERSON RJENNINGS, an, or LEHiGI-ITON, PENNSYLVANIA.

THROW-OFF AND IMPRESSION-ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Application filed January 26, 1914. Serial No. 814,300.

Carbon and State of Pennsylvania, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements in Throw-Off and lmpresslon-Ad usting Devices for Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to throwoif' and impression adjusting devices for printing presses and while particularly adapted to that type of printing press in which one member of the printing couple reciprocates toward and away from the other member thereof it is not limited in its use to this class of press.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for throwing 0E the impression which will be very simple in its construction and very positive in its operation, thereby enabling the same to be produced at a low cost and to be manipulated without liability of becoming disarranged or accidentally thrown out of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide this device with means whereby the impression may be adjusted and the adjustment maintained when the impression is thrown off. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a press, partially broken away, embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the line as a: of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a per-v spective View of a modification. 7

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as applied to the Cartright press as illustrated and described in Patent No. 1,069,? 6 1, of August 12, 1913, but it will be understood that this press is used merely for the purpose of illustration and that the invention is not limited in its application .to this press'or to presses of this type.

The press as here illustrated comprises a main frame having side members, '1, in which is mounted. the printing couple. One member of the printing couple is movable toward and away from the other and, in the present machine, the platen is shown as normally fixed against movement while the form-bed, which is combined with an inking drum, ismounted for movement in a right line toward and away from the platen. The mechanisms for actuating the form-bed, inking the same, feeding the paper, etc., form no part of this invention and need not be here shown and described as they are fully described in the patent above mentioned.

As is well known printing pressesof this type, as well as other types are usually provided with devices for throwing off the impression, that is, changing the relative positions of the two members of the printing couple in such a manner that the form will not engage the platen, although the operation of the press may continue uninterrupted, this being necessary in the practical operation of presses because there are occasional interruptions in the feeding of the paper to the platen, due to the making of adjustments or other causes, and it is undesirable to have the form engage the platen. The throw-off device may be mounted either upon the fixed member or the movable member. If upon the latter it will be so arranged as to ad just the movable member with relation to its operating devices so that the movement imparted to the movable member will be shortened; Preferably, however, the throw-ofi' devices are applied to the fixed member as they are easier of manipulation, adjustment, etc. In the present machine the normally fixed platen, which is indicated at 2, is mounted upon a shaft 8 supported by the side members 1 of the main frame so that the platen can be swung into and out of the path of the form-bed 41 which constitutes the movable member. This movement, however, is not necessaryto the operation of my invention but I have merely utilized the shaft in the application of the invention to this machine. To this end I have provided each of the side members 1 with a rectangular opening 5 in which is mounted a slide block 6 capable of movement longitudinally of the press and having a bearing'in which is journaled the adjacent end ofthe shaft 3 for the platen 2. This sliding block has its front and rear edges arranged obliquely to its line of movement and the length of the block, in the direction of its movement, is less than the length of the opening 5. Arranged between the front and rear edges of the block and the respective end walls of the opening 5 are adjusting blocks 7 having their edges illClined to correspond to the inclination of the corresponding edges of the slide block 6. The relative shapes of the slide block and the adjustingblocks are such that. when the adjusting blocks are simultaneously operated movement will be imparted to the slide block and, consequently, to the platen. While the exact shapes of these blocks may be varied I liave,'in the present instance, shown the guide block 6 as having its front and rear edges converging downward and, if desired, this block may be provided at its lower edge with a longitudinal extension to form a bearing surface, as indicated at 8. The adjusting blocks 7 are consequently straight on their outer sides to bear against'the vertical end walls of the opening 5 and inclined on their inner sides to correspond to the converging side walls of the block 6. The adjusting blocks are so connected one with the other that when one of the blocks is moved downward the other will be moved upward. It will be apparent that when either block is moved downward its inclined face will be moved away from the slide block and that the simultaneous upward movement of the other adjusting block will cause its inclined face to press against the adjacent edge of the slide block and move the latter toward that adjusting block which is being moved downward. The simultaneous movement of the two blocks maintains both of them in engagement with the slide block and provides a steady, easily accomplished movement of the slide block and the platen and a movement which can be very readily adjusted or limited in its extent. Any suitable means may be utilized for connecting together the adjusting blocks. Inthe present instance I V have pivotally connected these blocks with the respective ends of a lever 9 which is pivoted between its ends upon the slide block, as shown at 10. The pivotal connections between the adjusting blocks and the lever are preferably formed by pins and slots, as shown at 11, to take care of the change in the relative positions of the parts due to the curved line of movement of the ends of the levers about their axes. Movement may be imparted to the adjusting blocks in any suitable manner but, in the construction here illustrated, I have shown one of the blocks as provided along its outer edge with a rack 12 with which meshes a pinion 13 mounted on a shaft 141 to which is secured a lever or handle 15. The movement of the handle will, of course, impart rotary movement to the pinion and cause the rack 12 and the ad 'justing block to'which it is secured, to move in a vertical line. This movement will be transmitted through the lever 9 to the other adjusting block.

I have described the throw-off mechanism at one end only of the platen shaft 3 but it will be understood that this same mecha,

nism is duplicated on the opposite side of the machine and that the shaft 14, on which the pinion 13 is mounted, extends across the frame of the machine and carries the pinions 13 for both throw-off devices so that the movement of the handle 15 will simuitaneously actuate both of these devices.

A suitable guide may be provided for the handle 15 and this is shown in the present instance as a segmental guide 16 having therein a single notch 17 to receive the end of a spring-pressed dog 18 carried by the lever 15 and having secured thereto an actuating handle 19 by means of which it can be withdrawn from the notch. The notch represents the normal position of the lever, that is, when the platen is in its operative position. To throw off the platen the dog is withdrawn from the notch and the lever moved about its axis. hen it is desired to restore the impression the lever is simply returned to its normal position which is assured by the engagement of the dog with the notch. Means are also provided for adjusting the impression, this being done by regulating the normal position of the platen. In the present instance I accomplish this by merely adjusting the position of the notch which retains the lever 15 inits normal position. To accomplish this the notch is formed in a block 20 which is separate from the guide 16 and is adjustable along the same, it being provided with clamping devices, such as the screws and clamping plates 21, to secure it in itsadjusted positions.

In the'modification shown in Fig. 3 the construction is substantially similar to that above described but a different method of adjustment is used. Instead of the lever 9 a hand operated lever 22 havin a handle 23 is mounted upon the slide bloci; 6 and is connected with the adjusting block 7 by means of pin and slot connections 23 so that the rotation of the lever about its axis will move the block 7 in opposite directions. The device as a whole, is inclosed by means of a cap 24 which has slots to permit the passage of the pin which connects the blocks 7 with the lever.

It will be apparent that after the impression has once been adjusted it can be thrown on and off at will and as often as desired without in any way affecting its'adjustment. Further, it will be apparent that the construction of the throw-off device is very simple, requiring very few parts and very little machine work so that it can be produced at a low cost. Moreover, its construction is extremely simple and is of such acharacter as to insure its positive operation and as to practically eliminate all danger of its binding or being rendered inoperative.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes of illustration only and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. For example, it will be understood that the direction of inclination of the shape of the adjusting wedges or blocks may be very much modified without'departing from thespirit of the invention, and further that where the movement of the movable member of the printing couple is in a direction different from that of the present press the parts of the throw-off device may be rearranged accordingly.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a printing press, the combination, with a printing couple, of a throw-off clevice comprising blocks secured to the opposite sides of one member of said couple and slidably mounted on said main frame, sepa rate adjusting blocks arranged on opposite sides of said slide blocks, means for actuating said adjusting blocks to impart movement to said slide blocks and means to limit the movement of said slide blocks in one direction.

2. In a printing press, the combination,

with a main frame comprising side members, each of said side members having an opening therein, a printing couple mounted on said main frame, a slide block mounted in each of said openings, both slide blocks being connected to one member of said printing couple, adjusting blocks arranged between the opposite edges of each slide block and the respective'end walls of said openings, said slide block and said adjusting blocks being so shaped that the movement of said adjusting blocks will impart movement to said slide block in a direction transversely to the line of movement of said adjusting blocks, and means for actuating said adjusting blocks and means to limit the movement of said slide blocks in one direction.

3. In a printing press, the combination, with a main frame comprising side members, each side member having a rectangular opening therein, a printing couple mounted on said main frame, a slide block mounted in each of said rectangular openings for movement longitudinally there-.

of, both of said slide blocks being connected with one member of said printing couple, each of said slide blocks having its edges converging downwardly, adjusting blocks mounted between the edges of each of said slide blocks and the respective edges of said openings and having those edges adjacent to the slide blocksinclined to correspond'to the respective edges; of said slide blocks, means for moving said adjusting blocks in opposite directions, and adjustable means to limit the movements of said slide blocks in one direction.

4:. In a printing press, a throw-off device verse movement in said guideway, means I for imparting movement to said adjusting blocks, said blocks and said guideway being so constructed and arranged that the transverse movement of said adjusting blocks will impart longitudinal movement to said slide block, a deviceto limit the movement of said slide block in one direction.

5. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a slide block mounted for longitudinal movement and having inclined edges, adjusting blocks arranged in engagement with the inclined edges of said slide block and mounted for movement transversely to the line of movement of said slide block, a lever operatively connected with said adjusting blocks to quickly move the same along the inclined edges of said slide block to impart movement to said slide block, and means to limit the movement of said slide block in one direction.

6. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a guideway, a slide mountedin said guideway, adjusting blocks mounted on opposite sides of said slide block, means for imparting movement to said adjusting blocks in opposite directions,

block said blocks and said guideway being so 0011- structed and arranged that the movement of said adjusting blocks in opposite directions will impart longitudinal movement to said slide block, and means to positively limit the movement of said slide block in one direction whereby the impression mayblock will impart movement to the other block, and means to limit the movement of said slide block in one direction, whereby the impression may be adjusted and thrown off without interfering with said adjustment.

8. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a guideway, a block slidably mounted on said guideway and having converging edges, slide blocks having their inher faces oppositely inclined and engaging the converging edges of said slide block, means for moving said ad usting blocks in opposite directions, and a device to limit spond to the oblique edges of said slide block,

and lever actuated means connected with one of said adjusting blocks to impart movement thereto and quickly shift said slide block. 7

10 In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a guideway, a slide block mounted in said guideway for longitudinal movement and having its front and'rear edges converging, adjusting blocks mounted in said guideway, for movement transversely to said "slide block, having their inner edges inclined to correspond to the converging edges of said slide block, means for impart ing movement to one of said adjusting blocks and a lever pivotally supported between its ends and connected at its ends with said adjusting block, whereby the movement of one block will impart movement to the other block.

11. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprisin a guideway, a slide block mount ed in said guideway for movement longitudinally thereof and having its front and rear edges oblique to its line of movement,

adjusting blocks mounted in said guideway for movement transversely to the line of movement of said slide'blocl; and having their inner edges shaped to correspond to the oblique edges of said slide block, lever actuated means connected with one of said adjusting blocks to impart movement thereto and quickly shift said slide block, and means for operatively connecting said adjusting blocks one with the other whereby the operative movement of the one adjusting block will cause operative movement to be imparted to the other adjusting block.

12in a printing press, a throwoff device comprisinga guideway, a slide block mounted in said guideway for longitudinal movement and having its front and rear edgcs oblique to its line of movement, adjusting blocks mounted in said guideway for movement transversely to the line of movement of said slide block and having their inner edges shaped to correspond to the oblique edges of said slide block, means for moving said adjusting blocks in a direction to impart longitudinal movement to said slide block, and adjustable means for limiting the movement of said slide block in one direction, whereby the impression may be adjusted and thrown oif without interfering with the adjustment.

13. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a guideway, a slide block mounted in said guideway for longitudinal movement and having its front and rear edges oblique to its line of movement, ad-

justing blocks mounted in said guideway for movement transversely to the line of movement of said slide block and having their inner edges shaped to correspond to the oblique edges of said slide block, a connection between said adjusting blocks, a rack connected with one of said adjusting blocks, a pinion meshing with said rack, means for actuating said pinion, and means for limiting the movement of said pinion in one direction. 7

14. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a guideway, a slide block mounted in said guideway for longitudinal movement and having its front and rear edges oblique to its line of movement, adj usting blocks mounted in said guideway for movement transversely to the line of movement of said slide block and-having their inner edges shaped to correspond to the oblique edges ofsaid slide block, a connection between said adjusting blocks, a rack connected with one of said adjusting blocks, a pinion meshing with said rack, an actuating leverfor said pinion a guide for said lever, and an adjustable stop carried by said guide to control the movement of said lever in one direction.

15. In a printing press, a throw-off device comprising a guideway, a slide block mounted for movement longitudinally of said guideway, adjusting blocks mounted on opposite sides of said slide block for movement transversely of said guideway, said blocks and said guideway being so constructed and arranged that the transverse movement of said adjusting blocks will. impart longitudinal movement to said slide block, and actuating means for said device comprising a lever connected with said ad justing blocks to cause the simultaneous movement thereof.

16. In a printing press, a throw-off de- -vice comprising a guideway, a slide block mounted for movement longitudinally of said guideway, adjusting blocks mounted on opposite sides of said slideblock for movement transversely of said guideway, said blocks and said guideway being so constructed and arranged that the transverse movement of said adjusting blocks will impart longitudinal movement to said slide blocks, actuating means for said device comprising a lever connected withsaid' adjustcomprising a guideway, a slide block mounted for movement longitudinally of said guideWay, adjusting blocks mounted on opposite sides of said slide block for movement transversely to said guideWay, said blocks and said giiideway being so constructed and arranged that the transverse movement of said adjusting blocks Will impart longitudinal movement to said slide block, and actuating means for said device comprising a lever pivotally mounted between its ends and connected on opposite sides of its axis With the respective adjusting blocks to cause the simultaneous movement thereof.

18. In a printing press, a throw-t? device comprising a guideway, a slide block mounted for movement longitudinally of said guidevvay, adjusting blocks mounted on opposite sides of said slide block for movement transversely of said guideWay, said blocks and said guidevvay being so constructed and arranged that the transverse movement of said adjusting blocks Will im- 7 part longitudinal movement to said slide block, and actuating means for said device comprising a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on said slide block and connected on opposite sides of its axis With the respective adjusting blocks to cause the simultaneous movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EMERSON P. JENNINGS, JR. Witnesses:

P. M. GRAUL, FLORENCE N. SHAFER.

Copies of this patent may -be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

